JCCS Students Participate in Authentically Engaging Youth Event Hosted by SDCOE

The San Diego County Office of Education’s System of Supports team recently hosted 17 students from our Juvenile Court and Community Schools (JCCS) at the 2nd annual Authentically Engaging Youth Event.

The event aimed to amplify student voices, promote data-driven decision-making, and strengthen school improvement efforts through authentic engagement. Students from Monarch School, San Pasqual Academy, Bayside, and North Region community schools participated in the one-day event.

Students engaged in data analysis exercises, predicting common behavioral issues and evaluating staff-reported reasons for student actions. They examined trends in non-compliance, negative peer interactions, and other disciplinary concerns, discussing whether the recorded motivations accurately reflected student experiences. Through structured discussions, students assessed whether existing administrative consequences effectively addressed behavioral challenges or if alternative strategies would be more impactful in creating a supportive learning environment.

Beyond discipline data, students explored ways to increase student engagement and foster a sense of belonging within their schools. They developed solution-focused strategies, discussing how schools could proactively prevent problematic behaviors and promote positive student-staff interactions. By collaborating in group discussions, students recorded key agreements and recommendations, ensuring that their collective voices were represented in the decision-making process.

Feedback from the students was generally positive with most saying they would recommend student voice session to their friends. They also were asked what they would like adults to know and their responses included:   
“...to be more attentive of students and the people they hang around”
“…that students need space sometimes”
“... respect goes both ways”
“...we are kids too and people”
“... I had fun today”

The event, and the initiative it was based on, was a cross-division collaboration between Inez Ruiloba, SDCOE resource teacher, Dr. Christobelle Tan, SDCOE project specialist, JCCS teacher Valentina Mills, and independent consultant Dr. Patti Hershfeldt, who advocates and amplifies student voice across the country.

“By centering student perspectives, the initiative aimed to develop solution-focused strategies to enhance school climate, refine student behavior management, and improve relationships between students and staff,” Ruiloba said. 

The JCCS Authentically Engaging Youth initiative was designed to position students as analysts, allowing them to critically evaluate school discipline data, identify trends, and propose actionable solutions to improve school climate. This initiative ensured that students played an active role in shaping school policies by examining real-world data, discussing the root causes of behavioral challenges, and assessing the effectiveness of administrative consequences.

At the end of the event, facilitators gathered student-generated recommendations to share with the JCCS District Equity Leadership Team at their next meeting. 

“This process ensures that student perspectives directly inform policy decisions at the district level, reinforcing the idea that youth engagement is essential for meaningful school transformation,” Ruiloba said. “By treating students as active contributors rather than passive recipients of school policies, the Youth Empowerment Program fosters a culture of equity, inclusion, and shared responsibility for creating a positive educational experience.”